


one kiss, you’re falling in love (are you up for this?)

by droplikeconfetti (jbhmalum)



Category: Little Mix (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, some pining?? it's light, they're in love and cute that's it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:01:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29266920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jbhmalum/pseuds/droplikeconfetti
Summary: It’s not helping either that Jade has been nibbling on her pen all afternoon across from her, nudging at her full lips with it from time to time when she’s focusing harder. The stray curl falling in front of her face that she tries unsuccessfully to lock behind her ears every couple minutes is driving Perrie insane. So are the glasses on her nose, that Jade only wears to study.or: the one where Perrie is a little infatuated with Jade, and she invites her over so that they can finish their project together. She can't keep her little crush secret for long
Relationships: Perrie Edwards/Jade Thirlwall
Kudos: 22





	one kiss, you’re falling in love (are you up for this?)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I've never written for Little Mix before, but here I am because I've been wanting to for a while!
> 
> Enjoy! xx

Perrie looks over at Jade, who’s typing rapidly on her laptop, then back to her own sea of notes, and lets out a huge sigh that must be heard from the other side of the campus library. They are never going to finish this project on time.

This might be their own fault, Perrie is woman enough to admit that to herself. They’ve known they had to do it for about a month, and proceeded to forget about it until two days ago when the teacher reminded the class that they had four until Friday — which happens to be tomorrow — to hand it over.

They are well and truly fucked. The clock on the wall informs Perrie that the library is closing in about fifteen minutes. On top of that, her stomach has been rumbling for the past thirty minutes, so she’s had a hard time focusing on the words on the page.

It’s not helping either that Jade has been nibbling on her pen all afternoon across from her, nudging at her full lips with it from time to time when she’s focusing harder. The stray curl falling in front of her face that she tries unsuccessfully to lock behind her ears every couple minutes is driving Perrie insane. So are the glasses on her nose, that Jade only wears to study.

“I don’t know how we’re gonna do this Pez,” Jade says, echoing Perrie’s previous thoughts, sighing as she puts down her pen. “Jeez, it’s nearly eight p.m. already, no wonder I’m starving,” she adds to herself.

“I don’t know Jade. We should have thought about this better.” 

“Well,” Jade starts, in the way she does when she’s got something. “I don’t think we have that much left to do, actually, if we get our minds up to it. I’m sure we can have that done in three hours tops.”

Perrie frowns. “But the library’s closing in like, ten minutes.”

“Yes, but maybe we can work somewhere else? We do both live somewhere, you know.”

“Oh. Oh! You’re right,” Perrie agrees, chuckling at herself. “Guess I was just too worried to think of the practical solutions.”

“Nah, you’re good babe,” Jade says. The pet name makes Perrie’s heart flutter, just like it does every time Jade says it. Which is quite often; Jade seems to love the pet names.

“So,” Perrie says, trying not to think about it too much. “Do you wanna come to mine? I have leftover pasta, or we can order something in?”

“Leftover pasta sounds good to me!”

With that agreed upon, they both hurry to put away their laptops and textbooks and everything in between before they exit the building with all the other students who stayed there late.

They’re met with the night and the cold wind outside; the weather hasn’t been too kind lately, as it tends to do early December. It’s been getting cold for weeks, forcing everyone to bundle up under scarves and big coats.

Everyone except for Jade Thirlwall. Jade doesn’t seem to care too much about the cold, which is something Perrie will never understand. She doesn’t mind at all, because that denim jacket looks more than good on her, and so does that skirt, but she’s also freezing for her friend. On top of freezing for herself.

Thankfully Perrie’s two rooms flat isn’t too far off campus, and they get there before any of Perrie’s fingers can fall off.

“You’re a bit of a drama queen, aren’t you?” Jade says when they get inside and Perrie goes on about missing the heat.

“I’m not, I just like being warm,” Perrie pouts. “It’s not my bloody fault you’re immune to the cold, not everyone has that privilege, you know.”

Perrie can see Jade rolling her eyes fondly as she removes her shoes and jacket before moving further into the flat.

“Where should we do this?” she asks.

“Well, we can do this on the kitchen table if you want, but we can also go on my bed, I’m sure we’d have more room than on the table.”

“Ah, the student life,” Jade sighs, but there’s a smile on her face when she looks over at Perrie. “Fine, I’ll get my stuff ready, yeah?”

While she does that, Perrie prepares two bowls of leftover pasta that she heats up in the microwave as well as a bag of crisps, because why not, and two bottles of water. No way she’s risking bringing glasses into her room. She’s tried that before, and it didn’t end well. Thank god it was only water.

So they eat on Perrie’s bed while they try and finish this damn project. Jade was right; once they get into it and put all of their focus on it, they work together and manage to get things going.

They love working together. Well, at least Perrie does, and Jade has never said it to her with so many words, but Perrie can tell she does too by the way Jade runs her ideas through her easily and lights up when Perrie gets what she’s saying. It’s no different tonight.

Seeing Jade in her flat, sitting cross-legged on her bed, is somewhat unsettling. Perrie may or may not be a little infatuated with her. There’s something about the way Jade talks and the way she dresses, so casual yet so well put together. Her smile is the most wonderful thing Perrie has ever seen, often enough to make Perrie light up on her days where she’s not feeling too good. She’s snarky and sassy while still remaining sweet and caring, one of the best people Perrie has ever had the privilege to know. It doesn’t matter that they only met about two months ago; she feels like she’s known her forever. She would just very much love to know her a little differently.

Some days, she finds herself daydreaming of the possibility of it happening. There are some glances, some looks that Jade throws her way sometimes, that make Perrie think that she’s not alone in this. The looks, the gentle touches on the arm or the softly whispered praise. She thinks about asking Jade out, telling her she likes her more than as a friend, but she doesn’t know if she’s brave enough to do it.

Additionally, she’s tired of getting her hopes up only to realize she’s been falling for a straight girl this whole time.

“Well, bloody hell,” Jade says, closing her laptop after almost four hours. “Never thought we’d get this done.”

“I knew we would, with your brain, no way we wouldn’t have.”

“Oh, come on now.”

Perrie isn’t too sure with the weird glow of the desk lamp creating all sorts of shadows, but she could swear that Jade’s cheeks take on a light shade of pink at the words. It’s endearing, and doesn’t happen too often. Jade always seems very confident; not in an annoying way or anything like that. She just knows her worth. Perrie respects that a whole lot.

“It’s late, I should get home, let you sleep,” Jade says, letting out a yawn.

Perrie frowns slightly. “I don’t know if you should walk home by yourself this late.”

“Well I mean, I’m not gonna ask you to get me home, then you’ll be the one who has to walk home alone,” Jade counters.

“Well, that’s good, I agree with that.”

“Then what?”

“You can stay here?” Perrie suggests. “The bed is big enough for two, and I can lend you a shirt for you to sleep in.”

“Oh, I mean–”

“Unless you really don’t want to, but I’d sleep better knowing you’re safe.”

It’s a bit too honest, and not what she intended to say, but it’s true nonetheless. She’s a worrier by nature, always has been, and it’s always worse when it comes to the people she cares about.

“No, I think that’s good, cause I’m already tired,” Jade says with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Perrie gets up to find her a shirt, moving everything from the bed and going to do the dishes while Jade changes in the bathroom. It might not be the smartest move, getting Jade in the same bed as her, but what is she gonna do? She’d rather have her close and have to refrain from reaching out than risk her getting hurt.

“Do you need help?”

“Oh jeez,” Perrie shouts, startled, the bowls falling into the sink where she was cleaning them.

She turns around to see Jade standing in the doorway, hair down and one of Perrie’s old band shirts almost coming down to her knees. It does something to Perrie, to see the girl she has the biggest crush on wearing something of hers. It’s domestic and kind of a little hot, even if Jade looks nothing but adorable, shuffling on her feet and waiting for Perrie to answer her.

“Oh, hum. I guess you can take that towel and dry?” Perrie says, hoping she’s not giving anything away.

“Sure, love.”

Jade joins her at the sink with the towel, hopefully not noticing the way Perrie’s cheeks have turned their own shade of red.

“That was fun,” Jade says while Perrie picks the bowl back up. “Well, not fun cause that was work, but you know. Your little flat is cozy.”

“It is, I like it.”

“Maybe I’ll invite you to mine at some point,” Jade says. “It’s a bit more chaotic, but I feel like you’d fit well in there.”

“Are you saying I’m chaotic?” Perrie asks, pretending to be shocked instead of thinking of “fitting in” at Jade’s place. Except she can’t stop thinking about it.

“No! No, that’s not what I meant, sorry.” She looks a little embarrassed, but it’s the most adorable thing. “That was a separate statement.”

“Oh.”

They continue to clean and dry in silence, Perrie’s brain going a mile a second. She should do it. _Ask her_ , her inside voice keeps saying. _There’s no reason why she’d say no or hate you for it._

“There’s something I need to tell you,” she blurts out before she can think about it, her eyes growing wide as balloons as she dries her hands.

“What is it?”

Jade seems calm where she’s leaning against the counter. Perrie can’t tell if it’s a good sign or not. It could be, but it could also not be at all. Maybe Jade just expects her to say that she has a boyfriend, or that her brother is getting married, or that the birthday present she bought for Jade probably isn’t going to get delivered in time for it. She probably expects anything but that.

She can’t do it. But it’s too late, Jade is waiting for her to say something now.

“I’m gay,” she rushes to say, mentally slapping herself for being making it sound so awkward. Well, at least it’s still true.

"Oh,” is Jade’s only response, somehow looking disappointed, as if she was expecting something else. “That’s– that’s cool.”

“Is it?”

“It is, it is! I just... I sort of knew, already.”

“You did?” She was not expecting that.

Jade lets out a warm chuckle, the sound going straight to Perrie’s heart, wrapping itself around it like a warm blanket. 

“You’re not very subtle when you check girls out, you know? Of course I noticed.”

If Perrie’s cheeks were to heat up any more, she would burn. Herself and everything around her, she’s sure of it.

“Oh, well.” She clears her throat. “I’m, huh. I’m glad. That I told you.”

“I’m glad, too.”

There’s nothing but silence then, getting more loaded by the second as Perrie looks everywhere but at the girl in front of her, heart beating too fast in her chest. She can still see Jade getting closer from the corner of her eye, until she’s right up in Perrie’s personal space and she cups Perrie’s chin, turning her head so she has to look her in the eye.

“Perrie?” she says, her voice soft.

“Yes?”

“Is that really what you wanted to tell me?”

“What?” Her brain is having trouble keeping up.

Jade smiles slightly, her eyes flicking down Perrie’s face to her lips.

“Was there something else you meant to tell me?” She asks again.

“I mean, I don’t know what–”

Those words don’t make it out of her mouth, swallowed by Jade’s mouth covering hers, warm and full lips covering Perrie’s slim ones. Perrie doesn’t do anything about it for a second, too busy wondering what the hell is happening, but then she remembers herself. She lets out a sigh into the kiss, her hands flying to Jade’s waist as she kisses back freely.

It’s like heaven; no matter how many times Perrie’s pictured this exact moment, none of it compares to what tasting Jade’s lips actually feels like. They’re honeysweet, demanding but not forceful, in a way that has Perrie melting under them. She feels like she’s floating, and she doesn’t want to come back down.

Ultimately they do need to breathe, though, so they lean back, looking into each other’s eyes.

“So,” Jade says, slightly out of breath. Her eyes are shining with joy. “I haven’t misread this, have I?”

Perrie rushes to shake her head.

“No, no you haven’t. I really like you.” 

“You do?” Jade says, definitely teasing. 

Perrie nods. “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I was never sure.”

“Well, what if I tell you I’m taking you on a date tomorrow for dinner? How sure would you be then?” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I know where you live now, so I’ll pick you up at seven,” Jade says. “Sounds good?”

“Fuck yeah, it sounds good.”

She lets out the happiest of laughs, Jade mirroring it before kissing her again, right there over Perrie’s dried dishes. She couldn’t have dreamt of anything better.

When they get to bed and she finally falls asleep, it’s with Jade’s head on her shoulder and her breath warming her neck as their legs get tangled up together under the warm duvet, and to the thought of finally going out with the sweetest girl she’s ever met and whom she can’t wait to know better.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!  
> comments/kudos are always appreciated :)


End file.
